Kids on tour

Flying with kids

A journey by plane is exciting – especially for our little ones. Austrian offers a variety of special services for families travelling with children throughout the entire journey.

Here we have put together some useful tips for you about flying with children. So you can better prepare for your trip and start a relaxing family vacation.

Travel arrangements

Seating: when you’re travelling together with your children, you want to sit together as well. Whether it’s next to the window, the aisle or in the middle seat, you can select your seat category when making your booking. Guaranteeing your preferred seating in this way costs from EUR 10 per leg of your journey, and can be booked 48 hours or more before departure.

Eating: for flights lasting 3:45 hours or longer, delicious children’s menus such as pasta or schnitzel can be ordered free of charge. As we prepare our menus always fresh, we need your meal order no later than 24 hours before departure.

On flights within Europe, meanwhile, your little gourmets can enjoy DO & CO à la carte. The children’s menu costs EUR 15, and can be ordered while booking your flight at austrian.com or by going to at alacarte.doco.com. This needs to be done at least 36 hours before departure in both cases.

Meals for infants aged under 2 years are limited available on all Austrian flights and do not need to be explicitly posted.

Buggies: A foldable children’s buggy weighing 10 kg or less can be transported on our flights free of charge. You can take your child with you in the foldable buggy right up to the aircraft. If the buggy weighs more than 10 kg, it has to be checked-in. In case the free baggage allowance is exceeded, the respective excess baggage fee is applicable.

Please note: Based on local official directives the baby stroller's weight and taking up to the aircraft might be restricted on certain stations.

Infant/car seat: You may bring your own infant car seat on board of Austrian flights. Simply reserve a seat for your child at the applicable child fare well ahead of time. Our aircraft seats accommodate the following popular brands and models.
You may bring different models of child restraint devices. Due to safety reasons the device may not be used during take-off and landing and when the fasten seat belt sign is switched on. The bottom of the car seat may not exceed 40 x 40 cm (15.7 x 15.7 inch).
Please mind, that you are familiar with the manufacturer's instructions for the child restraint device's use and fitting in a plane as you are responsible to attach it to the passenger seat.
Unfortunately, our cabin crew will not be able to help you fix the infant car seat in place. If the device cannot be fitted properly, it must be checked in.
Suitable seat designation:
With the use of a car seat other passengers must not be inconvenienced or impeded in the event of a possible emergency evacuation. When checking-in, observe following:
- choose preferably a window seat for your child using the child restraint device
- accompanying persons should take the seat next to the child
- seats in emergency exit rows and bulkhead rows may not be used

Restraint harness: The "CARES" Child Aviation Restraint System is approved for the use on board Austrian flights. If you want to bring such a harness please consider that it is restricted to children

weighing between 10-20 kg (22-44 pounds), and/or

not exceeding a height of max. 1 m (40 inch)

Please note that children under 2 years require their own seat for fastening this restraint harness and notification to specialcases@austrian.com is required.

With children at the airport

Especially for our youngest guests: the Austrian Family Check-in at Vienna AirportRight on time for the beginning of the holiday season, Austrian always opens at Vienna Airport a special check-in area dedicated to our passengers traveling with children.

All Familes traveling with children up to 12 years of age will explore their very own check-in area. The Austrian Family Check-in is located in the Austrian Star Alliance Terminal (Terminal 3) from counter 355 to 358.

The Austrian Family Check-in is open daily from 4.30 am to 7.30 pm, and as a special surprise our young travellers will receive a small gift!

Family Fun Gate – a world of experiences for childrenThe Family Fun Gate is situated just past the Security Check, after the shopping area at the beginning of the ‘F’ Gates. A wide range of children’s play areas, including two slides, a climbing wall, a climbing frame and a labyrinth with a punch bag, revolving door and foam snakes are guaranteed to set children’s hearts racing with excitement. For our very smallest passengers, meanwhile, there’s a special area for changing nappies, complete with seating for Mum and Dad.

With children on board

Priority Boarding – get ahead when getting on board Families with children travelling with Austrian enjoy priority over other passengers when boarding. That means you’ll have more than enough time to stow those rucksacks and teddies in peace and quiet, and ensure both you and your children are comfortable and ready to go. To keep children entertained during the flight, we offer an array of small games, paper, paints and crayons, puzzles, and the JetFriends magazine, packed with games, jokes and stories for children to read themselves or for you to read aloud to them.

Inflight entertainment on long-haul flights Our long-haul inflight entertainment program has a special focus on families and children. In addition to the latest Hollywood and TV movies for children the program contains a dedicated music channel as well. During the summer period the game program will be increased to a total of 19 games, all operated via the swivelling 9 inch touch screen monitor.

Special services for children under two years oldNappies, a comfort blanket or that favourite doll for company – to make absolutely certain your little darlings have absolutely everything they want right by their side while on holiday, their luggage can weigh up to 23 kg. Mummy and Daddy can take a carrycot on board with them in addition to the hand luggage allowance. And to ensure your little one is well-nourished while in the air, all Austrian flights have a limited amount of baby food on board. Just ask one of our flight attendants as required.

JetFriends

JetFriends – earn miles just like Mum and Dad
In the Kids & Teens Club of Austrian Airlines, your little ones can earn air miles on every Austrian flight they take, and with all Miles & More partners. The bonus miles they earn don’t expire, and new members have 2,000 air miles just waiting for them in their account when they join. To register and enjoy all the benefits of membership, just go to www.jetfriends.at.

Children travelling alone

We offer supervision service against a surcharge for

children traveling alone aged between 5 and 11 years

youth between 12 and 18 years on parents' special request.

The parents or guardians will need to…

book the flight and organize any necessary travel documents (passport, visa for the destination country if necessary, travel insurance, etc.).

provide us with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the adults bringing the child to the airport/collecting the child from the airport when making the booking. Our staff only hands over the child to the person specified by you.

pay the fare together with a supervision charge per child travelling alone and flight. Please mind that in case of code share flights the operating carrier's rule is applicable.

Children under the age of 5 must always be accompanied by an adult. The accompanying person must at least be 18 years old, except she or he is a sister or brother and at least 16 years old. Children between 5 and 12 years of age must be accompanied by a person over 12 years. If this is not the case, the procedure for unaccompanied minors must apply.

For children turning 12 years enroute an adult fare applies for the entire journey.